Oregon Police Arrest First Protester Involved In Militia Standoff

The 62-year-old Oregon man was taken into custody Friday in the first arrest reported since armed militia members took over the refuge nearly two weeks ago.

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Kenneth Medenbach, 62, of Crescent, Oregon, was taken into custody by state police at a Safeway more than 30 miles away from the refuge, where he was allegedly spotted driving a truck owned by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

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LaVoy Finicum, one of the leaders of the armed occupiers there, told BuzzFeed News that Medenbach was among the group of men who took over the refuge on Jan. 2
“He was a great help,” he said. “He’s been carrying a heavy load, doing a lot of the heavy work.
Harney County Sheriff officials said two vehicles had been reported stolen by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and were recovered during the arrest.

A spokesman for the sheriff’s department told BuzzFeed News that Medenbach was transferred more than 150 miles away to the Deschutes County jail to be processed.
Medenbach is expected to face federal charges, the spokesman said.
Since taking over the refuge, the armed protesters have taken control of several of the sheds, barracks and vehicles that were kept there.
BuzzFeed News observed several of the men driving trucks with government plates at the refuge, including some with decals for the U.S. Fish And Wildlife Service.

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Court records reviewed by BuzzFeed News show Medenbach is already facing federal charges connected to another standoff in Oregon last year between federal agencies and anti-federal government groups.

Medenbach is facing charges of unlawful camping and unlawful occupancy in connection to the Sugar Pine Mine standoff last year, where protestors there were concerned that the Bureau of Land Management would seize mining equipment and destroy a cabin.
Part of the conditions of his release were to notify the court ahead of time in writing before camping on federal lands.

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Despite the arrest, Finicum said the rest of the group at the refuge are not concerned about being arrest during trips into town.
Ammon Bundy, another leader of the group, has gone to church in Burns, Finicum told BuzzFeed News, and also planned to drive into town for a haircut this weekend.

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NonoBadDog said:

Oregon Police Arrest First Protester Involved In Militia Standoff
Oregon Police Arrest First Protester Involved In Militia Standoff - BuzzFeed News


He is in even more hot water. The judge isn't going to be happy to see him again.



I don't understand why the authorities don't arrest them when they move around the community.

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Beaudreaux said:

"... miles away from the refuge, where he was allegedly spotted driving a truck owned by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ..." ?

Now that right there is funny.

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NonoBadDog said:

Yeah, not so bright. Already out of bail for the same thing. Was told to notify the court if he was going to camp on federal land and didn't. I guess occupying a federal refuge isn't actually camping. These aren't the sharpest tools in the box.

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Beaudreaux said:

Not the brightest lamp in the hall, either. There's a difference between being ignorant and being stupid. This guy seems to have achieved the rare state where both are possible at the same time.

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